How do I make waiting a positive shared experience, not just silent frustration? 

Parenting Perspective 

For a child, waiting can often feel like empty, frustrating time. By transforming these moments into shared, engaging experiences, you can help your child see waiting not as a delay, but as an opportunity for connection. 

Introduce Connecting Activities 

Use the waiting period to play small, interactive games that require nothing more than your imagination. Simple classics like ‘I spy’, telling a story one sentence at a time, or sharing riddles can completely shift the focus from the wait itself to a fun moment you are sharing together. 

Share Thoughts and Feelings 

Use the time to talk about what you are both looking forward to once the wait is over. Discussing how you will enjoy the activity or event helps your child to link the feeling of anticipation with positive excitement, rather than with impatience and frustration. 

Use Gratitude as a Pause 

Introduce the simple practice of naming one thing you are both grateful for during the wait. This brief but powerful exercise can shift the entire mood from frustration to appreciation, making the pause feel mindful and meaningful instead of wasted. 

When you consistently fill moments of waiting with warmth, creativity, and a shared focus, your child begins to see these pauses as part of the joy, not just a delay before it. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches that time spent waiting with patience is never wasted. Instead, it is a valuable opportunity to remember Allah Almighty, reflect, and strengthen the heart. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Baqarah (2), Verse 153: 

‘ O those of you who are believers, seek assistance (from Allah Almighty) through resilience and prayer, indeed, Allah (Almighty) is with those that are resilient.‘ 

This verse beautifully reminds us that patience is a means of inviting the presence and support of Allah Almighty into our lives. 

It is recorded in Al Adab Al Mufrad, Hadith 1317, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘The strong man is not the one who can overpower others (in wrestling); rather, the strong man is the one who controls himself when he is angry.’ 

This teaches us that true strength is demonstrated by managing our own emotions during moments of frustration or delay, a key aspect of patience. 

By making waiting an engaging and positive experience, you are teaching your child a profound lesson: that patience is not just about enduring time, but about filling it with meaning, connection, and faith.